Figure toy



Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,327

E. B. WILSON FIGURE TOY Filed D63, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l 40 INVENTOR $2 ATTORNEY.

,Dec. 20, 1927.

E. B. WELSON FIGURE TOY Filed Dec. '7. 1922 2 Sheets-Shem 2 avwemtoz 51B. Wf/wn.

8513 M3 awe 0min;

Patented Dec. 2t), 1927, UNITED EDWIN BIRD Wi son, on FOREST-nuns; Nnw m, nssmnoa 'ro DESIGN LABORA- roams, mconroanmn, or new roux, n-1, ncoaroan'non or NEW'YORK.

FIGURE Jppllcatio'n filed December 7, 1922; Serial Io;

This invention. relates to toys of an improved and novel structure, particularly to the class of toys such as dolls and toy' ammals constituting efiigies, usually but not always. of living beings, and to an improved I and novel method of making such, toyefligies adapted to assume a. plurality of differ: ent expressions and. postures.

One of the objects of. this invention is to provide a. novel type of elfigies which may be caused to assume and retain agreat variety of. shapes, attitudes, ,and particularly 7 this invention may be surprisingly lifeof expressions, whether of thehead and face or of the body or other members.

Another object is to provide a structure forrsuch. efiigieswhich, in the hands, for example, of. an infant, will have practically the softness and durability of a ra I doll or the like, with the attendant lack 0 danger to the infant, and which will combine with this theability to. execute avariety of facial and other changes such, as the ability to open and close the. eyes and 'mouth, to smile, tofrown, to assume'a' laughing expression, to change from fat to lean, to

move the nose or ears,to elongate the limbs, etc., in short, the "ability toassume and to retain a very great variety of postures and expressions both as a whole and as affecting individual features. p

A. further object is to provide an efligy which is alterable from. any one toany other of a great range of postures and. facial expression by a simple pressure: or blow, and

in which the; postures andiexpressions are studied by the designing artist, predetermined, will be retained as long as desired, and can each again be reproduced at.- will.

Another object of. my invention is to provide; a new medium for ingenious artistic representations, particularly of human faces though not limited to those, with representation of play of emotion and sequencefof facial expression. Efiigies-made accordin to like, and a new range of interesting, artistic and amusing effects is opened up by the control of series of facial and bodily ex ressions and contort-ions. were another dimension to the work ofthe toy designing artist, in .that if he be designing a dolls head, for example, he-has to consider the effects of his. drawing through a series of changesalof shape plus a series of relative displacements and.- distortions of This invention a ds'as itseparate features. In constructing, for example, a doll. m acccardance; with my invention, a considerable; part of the artists ingenuity must be expended on the proper choice to suit his subject of the multitude of dis: placements thatmay be given. to any or all features. I i

Preferably, the above outlined objects are attained. by providing an elastic fabric or the likev bearing: the drawing, painting, or other representation of. thecface, animals head, body or object intended, The material used for this may be thin. rubber, so

called cliamois. skin, soft" kid, aknitted fab-' me; of wool, of silk, of cotton, etc., or any materialof strength and elasticity sufficient for the purpose. This. elastic medium is.

mounted on; a distortable. frame. This frame may be; constructed in many ways andof a great variety of materials. A few preferred embodiments thereof are hereinafter disclosed,,-w-hich, in accordance with a feature-of: the; present invention, com- A prise substantially a loop or outer frame member of stiff but somewhat pliable materials-such. as! a. thin spring or flat wire,or a whalebone, a. wooden hoop, etc. This loop being/somewhat pliable. maybe distorted by pressure and in accordancewith still a further featureof this invention, is held in its distorted shape by frictional or other suitable means. I

. The above mentioned elastic cover over the frame will stretch and shorten along different, axes responsive tothe distortion of the frame an'di'lthe drawing, modeling or painting thereon: will distorted in i accordance.

By anygiv ,h changemof shape of the frame an: increased tension with stretching occurs in some direction through all points of. the elastic cover, and a. decreased tension with shorteningoccurs in a direction -substantially normal to the first. Either the stretehingor the shortening of selected portionsof the elastic cover may be prevented or opposed for any given range of distortions by proper connecting links, such as sti lteners, tapes, rubber bands, strings, etc., attached tozsaid portions and to other points of said} cover, notabl points. adjacent the fran1e,.or even to the rame. .By this means, features or details movable, in life may be caused. to move or. change shape with lifelikeor gratesque efieets.

I have devised also a novel method of assembling an efligy, fol-instance "a dolls head, embodying the use of connecting links of the elastic cover bearing the representation, of then applying this cover to a dis tortable frame and attaching it leaving the loose ends of the connecting links unattached. The frame is then distorted to a predetermined extent, thelinks' are drawn or pushed until the desired local distortion or shade of expression is obtained," and the links are then made fast either to the frame or to any portion, for instancean inner lining, of the effigy.

Many other interestingeffects can be obtained by another use of an inner-lining, which may beattached either to theframe or to the outer elastic cover. For instance, certain features, sometimes in life not visible, as teeth, tongue, eyeballs, etc., may be de picted on such an inner lining, and slits or openings may be provided in the outer elastic cover to open b the distortion thereof, with or without tie use of connecting links, and to disclose such hidden features. It will be clear that I could not attempt to disclose any considerable fraction of the artistic or amusing exemplifications or applications of my invention, since these applications lie mainly in the field of the imaginative designer and artist. The many particular artistic or amusing forms my invention may take must be left to those skilled in the arts of representation, before whom I believe a novel field is hereby opened. In any case my invention is not limited toapplication to the particular form shownin the drawings, being a female dolls head,but many other and as yet unimagined outer forms or applications may, within the spirit of this invention, be made of the disclosed structure or of its equivalent. m

The features above outlined and others will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of structures exemplifying certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. I The structure herein disclosed may be widely varied without departing from the spirit of the present invention the scope of which isdefinedin the appended claims. i e

In the drawings four embodiments of the frame structure, together with the application of one of them to a dolls head, are disclosed. I

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment. Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 ofthe friction clamp of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan View of an'alternative frame structure. Fig. 4 is'an elevation of one of the two'punchings 21 forming the stops in frame Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan viewofia third modifiedframe Fig; 6 is a plan of at fourth modification of this frame. Fig. 7 is a cross section of a dolls head along the line 77 of Fig. 10. Fig.

I 8 is a front view of a dollshead, constructed onany of the frames Figs. 1, 3, 5 or 6 but preferably on frame Fig. 1, showing the head when the frame is in its natural circular or not distorted condition. Fig. 9 is a front view of the same dolls head when the frame is vertically elongated. Fig. 10 is a .front view of the same dolls head with the'frame horizontally elongated. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a portion of the face and of the nose of the head of Fig. 8. Fig. 12 isa'vertical sectional view through the center of the nose and mouth of Fig. 9.

In Fig. 1, 1 is a loop shaped frame formed of a thinwide ribbon of resilient material such as spring steel. 2 is a channel shaped punching of which there are two, enclosing the ends of loop 1 to hold them together at the neck of: the frame. 3 is a wrapping of wire or of cord holding the channel punchings' 2 in place, 4 is a rectangular friction rod frictionally engaged between the two ends of loop 1 which at this point are formed so as strongly to press against it. 5 is a thin metal U-shapedstrap enclosing loop 1 at the top and having both ends fastened by pivot screws 6, of which there are two, to the u per end of friction bar 4. Owing to the exibility of the loop 1, U-shaped strap 5 has a limited swinging movement about pivot screws 6. 7 is a spacer block lying between the two parts of 5 and fastened thereto by screws 8 from both sides. A screw 9 through a holein the top portion of strap 5 and through a hole in the top of loop 1 clamps loop 1 to spacer block 7 and to strap 5. 10 is a horizontal stop bar held in place in strap 5 by screws 11 of which there may be four. -The corners 12 of strap 5 serve to limit the distortion of the frame in the one direction by striking on the loop 1 at points 13. The loose ends of loop 1 are formed outward at- 14, as may be most suitable for attachment to the body orremaining portion of the effigy. Friction bar 4, spacer block 7 and horizontal stop bar 10 are economically made of wood but may be of any suitable light material such as fibre or the like. Pivot screws 6 and screws 8 and 11 may be replaced by rivets or nails. I

In Fig. 3, 15 isa loop formed of a relatively wide ribbon of thin resilient material such as spring steel. 16 is an attachment portion forthe same purpose as formed ends 14 in Fig. 1'. 17 and 18 are respectively, split friction bushings and friction plunger-s; Each plunger 18 cooperates with bushing 17 to form a frictional telescopic cross member. One of these friction cross members comprising bushing 17 and plunger 18 extends across the loop 15 horizontally i stop bar .31.

Les-3,327.

shouldered at their outer ends to forum a.

rivet portion. These rivet portions pass through holes in loop 15 and are riveted.

over at 20 and. 19 for firm attachment to loop 15. passes. through both: ends of loop 15. and through a hole in the center of attachment member 16 servingv to hold the loop closed and to attach member 16 Freely enclosing the crossing of the two telescopic friction members are two punched stop plates 21 in each of which is formed a channel portion 22, best seen in Fig. 4,. of sufficient depth to accommodate a bushing. 17. These two punchings 21 are assembled by screwsQZ through holes 24- with their. channels 22 211;- right angles to each other so that the two assembled stop plates ride loosely on the two transverse friction members and maintain. substantially a central position within the loop 15. striking against loop 15 serve. to limit the distortion of this frame ineither direction. The ends of the. armsof the stop plates 21 serve to prevent thecollapsing of spring loop 15 if undue pressure is applied at a point between any'two rivets 20, or 20 and 1-9. 2 a

In Fig. 5, 25 is a loop formed of a thin relatively wide ribbon of resilient material such. as spring steel. It. is formed to a. neck M326 and the ends 27 are. formed for con.-

Venient attachment to another portion of the efiigy. 28 isa loop of relatively stiff but non-rcsilient or malleable material such lead or soft aluminum or even soft cop per. 29 is an inner loop of the same material as 25. is a wire wrapping holding- 25, 28 and :29 in close Contact- U The stiffness sweeping. leable loop :28 insure that deformations imparted to this 'tramewill he retamedi .31

is a verticalstop bar held byrivets 32 at the neck 26 of outer loop 25. 33 is a horizontal stop rod driven through Vertical InFig. 6, 34 is a loop of relatively thin wide resilient material suchas spring steel,

formed at 35 to a neck and with the ends 86 formed for convenient attachment. to

are two channel shaped members 37. 38 isv a wrapping of wire or cord to hold. the

assemblage together. 39 is a friction member constructed of a strip of metal of sub- The rivet portion '19 further 1 loop The ends of the bushings 17 stantially the samewidth as. the-metal of 3i but somewhat thicker and stiffer; It is'bent back upon itself forming at 40 an enlargement which when drawn up to 1 strike the corners 41 of the outer loop- 34, limits the vertical elongation'of this frame.

42 is a rivet inserted through the two portions of friction member 39 and has the double purpose of holding themtogether, and of iinuiting the horizontal elongation of the frame by striking the corners 43 of are bent outwardly at Hand attached to the upper section of loop 3 1 by wire wrapping 45. i c

In Fig. 7 which is a cross section on line The ends of friction member 39 77 ofFig. 10, 1 is the loop shaped frame of Fig. 1,4.is the rectangular friction bar, 5 the U-shaped strap and 6 the pivotscrew' all as shown in Fig.1 1. 46 is the resilient. casing of the backof the dolls head, 47 the resilient inner casing of the front of the dolls head, 48 a strip of fabric sewed to loop 1, and to which 46 and47 in turn, are sewed. 49 is, the outer'resi'lient casing bearing the representation of the face of the effigy, 50.

is a link connecting two points of the outer casingon either side of the chin. 51 are wrinkles in. this casing formed when the frame is horizontally elongated, as shown in Fig. 10, and simulating dimples. 52 are links from the lower portion of fabric strip 48 to the lower eyelids as seen best in Fig. 10, and 53 is the resilient filling, of thehead such as curled hair, wool, feathers or any elastic material. If theelastic casings 46 and 4-7 are made of thin sheet rubber or suitably rendered impervious as suggested above, the filling 53 may consist of air under a slight pressure. 1

In Fig. 8, '54 isa membrane or portion of fabric formed to represent a nose and painted or marked in accordance. It is cemented or sewed around its edgesv to thev outer front casing'49 and filled with an elastic material. such as wool, hair etc. 55 are the portions of the outer casing forming. the upper eye-.

lids of the efligy and attached by tapes 56 to the strip of fabric 48011 frame 1 at a point near the top of'the head. The lower edge of these upper eyelids 55 is sewed or cemented to the inner casing 47.

elastic tapes or rubber. bands attached to the outer casing near the inner ends of said eyebrows and attached. to the strip of fabric 48 at the upper part of the head. ,59 are slits 57 areeyebrows de picted on the outer casing, 58 are narrow in the outer casing suitably camouflaged by embroidered or painted eyelashes 60. 61 are eyeballs depicted on inner casing 47 and in thin fibre or celluloid or the like attaching at a fixed distance from, each otherthe inner ends of the eyes. 63v aresimil'ar links attaching the outer ends of the eyes to strip of Fig. 8 shown dotted. 62 is a stiff. link of fabric 48 on either side of the head, whereby the size of the eyes are caused to vary as the frame 1 is distorted. 64 is the representation of a mouth on the outer casing, 65 a slit in said casing at the proper point to enable the mouth to be opened. 66 is a representation of tongue and teeth upon the inner casing 47, best seen in Fig. 9, adapted to be exposed when the slit 65 is drawn open. 67 are tapes from the corners of the mouth to the sides of the frame, 68 is a tape from the lower lip of mouth Gtto the lower portion of the frame, 69 is a similar tape from the upper lip to the upper portion of the frame. 70 is a cord attached to the inside of the tip of the nose 54. and passing through the outer casing 49 and attached to the top portion of the frame. All of these links 50, 52, 56, 58, 62, 63, 67, GS, 69 and 70 are preferably arrangedto lie between the inner casing a? and the outer ca sing d9.

In Fig. 10 the action of links 62 and 63 in extending the eyes when the frame is horizontally elongated is shown. In Fig. 9 action of these. same rigid links in somewhat narrowing the eyes when the frame is vertically elongated is shown.

In Fig. 9 action of tapes 6? in widening the mouth is shown as also the action of tape 50 in producing dimples 51 as mentioned above. Further, in Fig. 9, the effect of eh stie bands 58 in raising the eyebrows is illustrated; also the action of tapes 52 and 5G in causing the eyes to open when the head is vertically elongated. Tapes 69 and 68 are also shown in this view pulling open slit 65 of mouth 64 and disclosing, as mentioned above, teeth and tongue 66 depicted on the inner casing. Further, in this view, cord 70 is shown drawing upward the tip of nose 54. In Fig. 12, which is a vertical cross section through the nose and mouth of Fig. 9, the connection of cord 70 to the inside of the tip of nose 54 is more clearly shown. The filling 71 of nose is also shown. tapes 68 and 69 in pulling open slit 65 of mouth 64 to disclose a portion of the surface of inner casing l? is also more clearly illustrated in Fig. 12.

Obviously, the links, by which the various features of the face may be distorted, may be varied and combined at will without departing from the spirit of the invention. Rigid or elastic links may be used throughout the structure, or substituted one for the other according to the effect desired.

hat I claim is:

1. The method of making effigics adapted to assume a plurality of different expressions consisting in: attaching one end of a link to a casing bearing a representation of an effigy at a certain point of the representation, at-

taching the casing to a distortable frame while leaving the other end of the link free and accessible, giving to the frame a desired T he action of distorted shape, moving the link until the change in the representation is obtained that it is desired to produceby the particular shape given the frame, and finally attaching the free end of the link to the frame maintaining it while so doing in the position to which it has been moved. a

2. The method of making efligies adapted to assume a plurality of different expressions consisting in: reproducing on an elastic casing a representation of the efilgy, attaching one end of a link to the casing at a certain point of the representation of the efligy, stretching the casing on a distortable frame while leaving the free end of the link accessible, distorting the frame to a certain shape, stressing the link until the change in the representation is obtained that is intended to accompany that particular shape of the frame, and finally making fast the free end of the stressed linkto or near the frame. i

3. As a new article of manufacture, an elastic casing, a distortable frame, a filling of yielding material Within said elastic casing which casing bears a representation of an effigy, said casing being stretched on and stressed by said distortable frame, and non-elastic connections between certain portions of the casing and the frame for further stressing said casing at certain points responsive to distortion of the frame.

4.111 an effigy, a semi-rigid substantially loop shaped distortable frame, means for retaining said frame in certain shapes it may assume, a yielding filling, an elastic casing stretched over said frame and enclosing said filling, and representation of a portion of the effigy on said elastic casing.

5. In an efiigy, a substantially loop-shaped frame of thin resilient material capable of distortion in the plane of the loop, a friction device connected with said frame for retaining it in certain distorted forms it may assume, a yielding filling, an elastic covering stretched over said frame and enclosing said filling, and representations of portions of the elligy on said elastic covering.

6.111 an efiigy, the combination of an elastic casing bearing representation of the effigy, yielding filling for said casing, a frame of relatively rigid material on which said elastic casing is stretched and which is arranged to be forced into a plurality of shapes, and means for holding said frame in the shape into which it has been forced.

7. In an efiigy, a distortable frame, an elastic covering stretched over said frame, a representation upon said covering of a portion of the efiigy and distortedby distortion of said frame, and elastic connections between certain portions of said covering and said frame for opposing the distortion of certain portions of said representation.

8. In an efligy, a distortable frame, an elastic covering stretched over said frame, a

representation upon said covering of aportion of the effigy and; distorted byd-istortion interconnecting certain -portio.ns of said covering with said frame for opposing the distortionof certain portions of saidrepi'esentation. I

10. In an efligy, a distortabl'e frame, an elastic covering stretched over said frame, a representation upon said "covering of a portion of the efiigy anddistorted by dis tortion of said frame, and means for opposing the distortion of certain portions of said representation.

11. In an effigy, a distortable frame, an elastic casing bearing a representation of the efligy stretched over said frame, and a non-elastic connection between a certain point of the casing and a certain point of the frame for distorting certain portions of said effigy in a predetermined manner upon distortion of said frame.

12. In an effigy, a distortable frame, means for holding said frame in any one of a plurality of distorted shapes, an elastic casing having depicted upon it a portion of the effigy and being stretched over said frame, and a plurality of connections each with one end attached to said casing at some point of the depicted eifigy and with the other end attached to a part of said frame.

13. In an effigy, a substantially loopshaped distortable frame, an elastic casing bearing a representation of the. efiigy stretched over said frame and distortable therewith, and means interconnecting a particular point of said elastic casing and said frame for applying a stress to said point of said casing responsive to distortion of said frame. I

14. In an effigy, a substantially loopshaped distortable frame, an elastic casing hearing a representation of the effigy stretched over said frame and distortable therewith, a link interconnecting a point of said casing and a point of said frame for applying stress to said. point of said. casing, substantially in the plane of the casing, responsive to a predetermined distortion of said frame.

15. As a new article of manufacture, a substantially loop-shaped distortable frame, an elastic covering attached thereto and a portion of an efligy represented thereon, a linkage for connecting two points of said covering and maintaining between them, upon certain distortions of said frame, a

distance differing from the distance which would intervene between the two said points if the said linkage were not'intercomiected between the points. i I I 16. In an effigy, a substantially loop shaped frame capable of limited distortion, distortion retaining means, a yielding filling material, a first elastic cove-ring stretched over said frame and enclosing saidfilling material, anouter elastic covering bearing representations of portions of the efiigy stretched over said frame, connections lying betweensaid first and said outer coverings connecting portions of said outer covering to portions of said frame. i

17. In an effigy, a substantially loop shaped spring frame distortable in the plane of the loop, a friction member across a portion of said loop to retain said frame in any one of a plurality of forms, stop members limitingfthe distortion of said 1001), a yielding filling material, a first elastic covering stretched over said frame and en'- closing said filling material, an outer elastic coverlng surrounding said first elastic cover ng and bearing a representation ofa face comprising features, and an attachment be-f tweena point of said outer covering and an appropriate point of said first covering.

18. In an effigy, a substantially loop shaped spring frame capable of distortion in the plane of the loop including distortion retaining means, a yielding filling, a knit outer covering stretched over said frame bearing representation of a portion of the effigy, said covering enclosing said yielding filling, connections within said outer coveringconnecting portions thereof to portions of said frame whereby details of the repre sentation on said outer covering are individually distorted when said frame, outer covelastic covering surrounding said frame v bearing a representation of features including eyes normally closed, a lower eyelid forming a portion of the outer covering, an upper eyelid also forming a portion of the outer covering severed from said lower eyelid and attached to said inner elastic covering, a drawstring connecting said upper eyelid to the frame atthe upper portion of the head, an eyeball depicted upon said inner covering immediately below the point of attachment of said upper eyelids to said inner covering.

20. In an efiigyof ahead, at distortable.

substantially loop shaped frame, a yielding filling, an inner elastic covering over said frame and a portion of said yielding filling, an outer elastic covering surrounding said frame and bearing a representation of features including eyes normally closed, a lower eyelid forming a portion of the outer covering, an upper eyelid also forming a portion of the outer covering severed from said lower eyelid, an eyeball depicted upon said inner covering, and means responsive to the distortion oi said frame for displaying said eyeballv 21. In an efligy of a head, a substantially loop shaped distortable frame, a yielding filling, an inner elastic covering over said frame and a portion of said filing, an outer elastic covering over said inner covering surrounding said frame and bearing a rep resentation of a mouth, lips forming portions of said outer covering, a representation of the interior of a mouth depicted on the inner elastic covering, and means responsive to the distortion of said frame'for displaying the interior of the mouth.

22. In an efligy, a substantially loop shaped distortable frame, a yielding filling, an inner covering, an outer elastic covering bearing a representation of a portion of an efiigy and attached to said frame, an'opening in said outer elastic covering, and means operated when said frame is distorted to a certain extent for moving said opening to uncover a portion of said inner covering and a representation depicted upon the uncovered portion of said inner covering.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this sixth day of December, 1922.

EDWIN BIRD WILSON. 

